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The navigator enlarged the image upon the three…dimensional screen。 'It's on Planet Earth；' he said。 'A triangulation and a ley image； the constellation of the Plough surely； and look there。'
Lombard looked there。
'One third up from the base line of the triangulation； a beacon transmitting a signal。 The coordinates of an approach run； that's where they are！'
'Hm。' Lombard stroked his Hollywood chin。 'The bastards have moved closer to the Sun。 Wise move； wise bloody move。 Take us in then。 Earth full steam ahead。 Lock into autopilot； the beacon will guide us in。 Anybody got a roll…up？'
Omally rolled a cigarette as the Professor joined them at the table。 'You found them out； then？' he asked between licks。 'I don't think we've entirely got the better of him；' the old man replied。 'He's a trick or two up his sleeve yet； I believe。'
'I won't ask what that one turned out to be。' 'The Swan lead by one game to nil；' croaked the adjudicator。 'Second game on。 Horsemen to throw。'
As this was a championship match； by local rules； the losing team threw first。 Young Jack ran his forked tongue about the tip of his dart。 'Straight and true this time； Professor；' quoth he。
'With the corner up；' the old man replied。
Young Jack flung his darts in such rapid succession that they were nothing more than a triple blur。 They each struck the board 'straight and true' within the wired boundaries of the treble twenty； which was nothing more nor less than anybody had expected。 The grinning demonologist strode to the board and tore out his darts with a vengeance。
'I should like very much to see the fellow miss once in a while；' Pooley told the Professor。 'Just to give the impression that he isn't infallible。' Professor Slobe whispered another Latin phrase and Young Jack knocked his pint of mild into his father's lap。 'Thank you；' said Jim； 'I appreciated that。'
Archie Karachi was throwing for the Swan。 Dressed this evening in a stunning kaftan； oblivious to the damage wrought upon his kitchen； he was definitely on form。 Archie had a most unique manner of play。 As a singles man； his technique brought a tear to the eye of many a seasoned player。 Scorning the beloved treble twenty； he went instead for bizarre binations which generally had the chalksman in a panic of fingers and thumbs。 On a good night with luck at his elbow he could tear away an apparent two hundred in three throws。 Even when chalked up； this still had his opponents believing that he had thrown his shots away。 Tonight he threw a stunning bination which had the appearance of being a treble nineteen； a double thirteen and a bull's eye； although it was hard to be certain。
The degree of mental arithmetic involved in puting the final total was well beyond the man on the chalks and most of the patrons present。 When the five hundred and one was scratched out and two hundred and fifty…seven appeared in its place nobody thought to argue。
'I admire that；' said Professor Slobe。 'It is a form of negative psychology。 I will swear that if the score does not e up in multiples of twenty； nobody can work it out。'
'I can；' said Omally； 'but he is on our side。'
'I can't；' said Pooley。 'He pulls his darts out so quickly I couldn't even see what he scored。'
'Ah；' said Omally； 'here is a man I like to watch。'
The Four Horsemen's most extraordinary player had to be the man Kelly。 He was by no means a great dartsman； but for sheer entertainment value he stood alone。 It must be understood that the wondrous scores previously recorded are not entirely typical of the play as a whole； and that not each member of the team was a specialist in his field。 The high and impossible scores were the preserve of the very few and finest。 Amongst each team； the Swan and the Horsemen being no exception； there were also able players； hard triers； and what might be accurately described as the downright desperate。
The man Kelly was one of the latter。 When he flung a dart it was very much a case of stand aside lads； and women and children first。 The man Kelly was more a fast bowler than a darts player。
The man Kelly bowled a first dart。 It wasn't a bad one and it plunged wholeheartedly in the general direction of the board。 Somewhere； however； during the course of its journey the lone projectile suddenly remembered that it had pressing business elsewhere。 The man Kelly's dart was never seen again。
'A little off centre？' the player asked his fuming and speechless captain。
His second throw was a classic in every sense of the word。 Glancing off the board with the sound of a ricocheting rule bullet it tore back into the assembled crowd； scattering friend and foe alike and striking home through the lobe of Old Pete's right ear。
The crowd engulfed the ancient to offer assistance。 'Don't touch it；' bellowed the old one。 'By God； it has pletely cured the rheumatism in my left kneecap。'
Lombard Omega scrutinized the instrument panel and swore between his teeth。 'I can't see this；' he said at length。 'This does not make any fucking sense。 I mean； be reasonable； our good world Ceres cannot just vanish away like piss down a cesspit in the twinkling of a bleeding eyelid。'
The navigator whispered a silent prayer to his chosen deity。 It was an honour to serve upon the flagship of the Cerean battle fleet； but it was a hard thing indeed to suffer the constant stream of obscenity which poured from his mander's mouth。 'We have been away for a very long time；' he ventured。 'More than six thousand years； Earth time。'
'Earth time？ Earth bleeding time？ What is Earth time？'
'Well； as target world； it must be considered to be standard solar time。'
Lombard Omega spat on the platinum…coated deck and ground the spittle in with a fibreglass heel。 'This doesn't half get my dander up；' said he。
Standard solar time was approaching ten…fifteen of the p。m。 clock； and the Four Horsemen and the Flying Swan now stood even at two games all and one to play for the Shield。 Tension； which had been reaching the proverbial breaking…point； had now passed far beyond that； and chaos； panic； and desperation had taken its place。 Omally had ground seven Biros into oblivion and his book now resembled some nightmare of Einsteinian cross…calculation。 'I sincerely believe that the ultimate secrets of the universe might well be found within this book；' said Pooley； leafing over the heavily…thumbed pages。 For his outspokenness； he received a blow to the skull which sent him reeling。 Omally was at present in no mood for the snappy rejoinder。
'For God's sake get another round in；' said Professor Slobe。 Omally left the table。
'Forgive me if you will；' said Pooley； when the Irishman was engaged in pummelling his way through the crowd towards the bar； 'but you do remember that we are under imminent threat of annihilation by these lads from Ceres。 I mean； we are still taking it seriously； aren't we？'
Professor Slobe patted Pooley's arm。 'Good show；' he said。 'I understand your concern。 It is always easy to surround oneself with what is safe and fortable and to ignore the outré threats which lurk upon the borderline。 Please be assured that we have done everything that can be done。'
'Sorry；' said Jim； 'but strange as it may seem； I do get a little anxious once in a while。'
'Ladies and gentlemen；' croaked the adjudicator in a strangled voice； 'the end is near and we must face the final curtain。' There were some boos and a few cheers。 'The last match is to play； the decider for the Challenge Shield； and I will ask for silence whilst the two teams prepare themselves。'
A respectful hush fell upon the Swan。 Even the boy Rathbone ceased his game。 However； this was not through his being any respecter of darts tournaments； but rather that his last two…bob bit had run out； and he was forced up to the bar for more change。
'It is the playoff； five hundred and one to gain。 By the toss； first darts to the Horsemen； good luck to all； and game on。'
Professor Slobe's eyes swung towards the Horsemen's team。 Something strange seemed to have occurred within their ranks。 Old Jack had declined to take his darts and sat sullenly in his wheelchair。 The man Kelly was nowhere to be seen； and the other disembodied members of the team had withdrawn to their places of perpetual night and were apparently taking no more interest in the oute of the game。
Alone stood Young Jack； hollow…eyed and defiant。
'He means to play it alone；' said the Professor。 'I do not believe that it is against the rules。'
'By no means；' said Omally。 'A man can take on a regiment； should he so choose。 As a bookmaker I find such a confrontation interesting； to say the least。'
The Swan's patrons found it similarly so and Omally was forced to open book upon his shirt sleeves。
Young Jack took the mat。 He gave the Professor never a glance as he threw his stygian arrows。 To say that he actually threw them； however； would be to give a false account of the matter； for at one moment the darts were in his hand； and in another； or possibly the same； they were plastered into the darts board。 No…one saw them leave nor enter； but all agreed that the score was an unbeatable multiple of twenty。
'One hundred and eighty；' came a whispered voice。
Norman stepped to the fore。 Although unnoticed by the throng； his darts gave off an electrical discharge which disabled television sets three streets away and spoiled telephonic munications a mile off。
'One hundred and eighty；' came a still small voice； when he had done his business。
Young Jack strode once more into the fray。 His eyes shone like a pair of Cortina reversing lamps and a faint yellow fog rose from the corners of his mouth。 He turned his head upon its axis and grinned back over his shoulders at the hushed crowd。 With hardly a glance towards the board； he flung his darts。 The oute was a matter for the Guinness Book of Records to take up at a later date。
'I don't like this；' said Professor Slobe。 'I am missing something； but I do not know what it is。'
'We are scoring equal；' said Omally； 'he needs but one unfortunate error。'
'I am loath to intervene； John。'
'It might get desperate； Professor； say a few words in the old tongue； just to be on the safe side。'
'We will wait a bit and see。'
'He is closing for the kill；' said John。
Professor Slobe shook his head。 'I still cannot see it； he appears to be winning by skill alone。'
'God bless him；' said Pooley。
Omally raised a fist towards his panion。 'We are talking about the Swan's trophy here；' he said； waggling the terror weapon towards Pooley。 'This is no joke。'
'One day；' said Jim calmly； 'I shall turn like the proverbial worm and take a terrible retribution upon you； Omally； for all the blows you have administered to my dear head。'
'Sssh；' went at least a dozen patrons。 'Uncle Ted is up。'
Uncle Ted； Brentford's jovial greengrocer； was possibly the most loved man in the entire district。 His ready smile and merry wit； his recourse to a thousand cheersome and altruistic bons mots； of the 'laugh and the world laughs with you； snore and you sleep alone' variety； brought joy into the lives of even the most manic of depressives。 It was said that he could turn a funeral procession into a conga line； and； although there is no evidence to show that he ever took advantage of this particular gift； he was never short of a jocular quip or two as he slipped a few duff sprouts into a customer's carrier…bag。
Omally； who could not find it within himself to trust any man who would actually deal in； let alone handle； a sprout； found the greengrocer nauseous to the extreme degree。 That smile could make a Samaritan mit suicide；' he said。
Uncle Ted did a little limbering…up knee…work； made flexing motions with his shoulders； and held a wet finger into the air。 'Is the wind behind us？' he asked； amidst much laughter from his supporters。 He waved at the smoke…filled air with a beermat。 'Which way's the board then？ Anybody got a torch？'
Omally groaned deeply within the folds of his beard。 'Get on with it； you twerp；' he muttered。
Uncle Ted； who for all his inane clowning； was well aware that a wrong move now could cost him his livelihood； took a careful aim whose caution was disguised behind a bout of bum wriggling。 His first dart creased int